Food Harvest — youngsters needed

GREAT credit is due to Ireland’s ageing farm workforce.

They are taking advantage of the pick-up of recent years in the food industry, as the value of Ireland’s food and drink exports jumps 12% per year, to about €9bn, despite the recession.

Most of the raw material for this impressive performance comes from farmers of whom only one in 20 is aged under 35, and of whom 28% are aged over 65.